stirckler



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. E. STIRGKLER. APPARATUSFOR DRIVING TAGKS.

N0.v606,596 v Patented June 28, .1898.

(No Model.)-

I I 4 Sheets--Sheet 2. A. B. .STIRCKLER. APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TACKS. No. 606,596. Patented June28,"189'8".

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Model.)

A. E. STIROKLER. APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TAGKS.

No. 6063596. Patented June'28, 1898.

12 23522 zaa.

co. wotoumov, WASH I (No Model.)

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. E. STIRGKLER. APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TAGKS.

Patented Jun 28, 189 8.

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UN TE-D PATENT Genoa.

ALBERT E. STIRCKLER, OF NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TACKTS.

sPEcIFIoATIon forming art of Letters Patent No. eoeeoe, dated June 2 8, 1398.

I Application filed September 26, 1896. SerialoNo. 607,114. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT EDWARD STIRCK- LER, engineer, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 200 Kettering road, Northampton, in the county of Northampton, England, have invented certain Improvements in and Connected with Apparatus for Driving Tacks, of which the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to apparatus for driving tacks, int-ended more particularly for use the tack-feeder.

in the manufactureof boots and shoes; and it consists of means hereinafter described whereby tacks from the smallest size-say three-sixteenths of an inch-upward can be conducted from a-chamber or reservoir into the tacker and arranged in proper position to be separately acted'on by the hammer or driver proper, so that the said tacks will be caused to enter the work in a perfectly straight direction or atright angles to the surface of the work, and the tacks may be driven into the work up to their heads, or they may be driven partly into the work, so that their heads will project above the surface of the work.

I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure l of which represents in side elevation a combined tack-driving and tack-feeding apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the tack-feeding portion of the apparatus drawn to a larger scale. I Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 1 2, Fig. 2, and looking .toward the closed end of the rotary tack-chamber. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, and Fig. 5 a plan, of the lower end of the chute carried by Figs. 6 and 7 are longitudi-' nal sections at right angles toeach other of the tack-driving portion of the apparatus or tacker. Fig. 6 shows a modification of a part shown in Fig. 6 and hereinafter referred to. Fig. 8 isa transverse section on the line 3 4, Figs. 6 and"7. Fig. 9 is a vertical section of a modified form of nozzle and Fig. 10 represents the spring-jaws detached.

' The hammer or driver'proper, A, of the tacker is carried by a plunger B, fitted to slide up and down in the body 0, constituting the handle of the tacker, the said plunger being acted on by a spring D, tending to .the nozzle E of the. tacker is a box or chamber F, in which works a tack-separating blade G and in which is a groove or passage 0, in which the hammer or driver proper, A,works. The passage in the box F is preferably formed by bushes c, as shown in Fig. 6 or the said box is provided with removable plates (1, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8,'so that when the bushes or the removable plates become worn they can be readily removed and replaced by fresh pieces, thereby increasing the durability of the tacker.

The box or chamberF is divided vertically through the passage 0, in-which the hammer or plunger works, into two parts,the said two parts being connected together by screws (1 and to the body or handle of the tacker by a screw-thread e on the upper end of the said box, screwing into an internal thread in the lower end of the body or handle 0. On the lower end of this divided box'or chamber there is also provided a screwed projection f, onto which the nozzle E is screwed.

Connected to the box or chamber F is a chute H, formedby two plates or cheeks h, connected together by screws '5, distance pieces being interposed between the cheeks, so as to form a narrow groove, down which the tacks pass into position to be acted on by the hammer or driver proper, A, the heads of the tacks being engaged in grooves or chancurved, as shown at 713, toward and communicate with the passage 0 in the boX or chamber F, in which the driver proper, A, works and into which passage 0 the lowermost tack passes from the chute when the lower end of the hammer or driver proper is in a position above the lower ends of curved portion hf of the grooves or channels 7L2. The lowermost tack is separated from the rest of the tacks in the chute by the blade G, which is arranged to reciprocate in a slot or passage i formed through one side of the box or chamber F, the said blade being carried by an arm or lever 1, centered at k to the body 0 of the tacker and pressed inward by a spring Z, the outward movements of the said separatingbladc being effected by the plunger 13 coming into contact with a projection on on the lever I, carrying the said separating-blade. The separating-blame fills from top to bottom the passage 92, through which the tacks pass from the chute 11 into the passagec, in which the driver works, so that it will not be possible for the points of the tacks to enter between the blade G and the passage 1?, in which it works, so as to cause the tacks to be directed out of their proper course, while the upper end of the said blade is in line with orso near to the lower edge of; the channel 7r in the chute, through which the heads of the tacks descend, that it is not possible for tacks even of the smallest size to enter the passage 0 otherwise than with their pointed ends downward.

To permit of the heads of the tacks entering the passage 0 when the lower end of the driver proper is below the separator-blade, the side of the driver which is toward the separator-blade is flattened or hollowed from near its lower end to a suitable distance upward, as shown at p, a shoulder 1) being thus formed at the lower end of this flattened or hollow part, which as the driver rises catches against the lower side of the head of the tack, so as to cause the point thereof to enter the said passage 0. The projection on on the lever 1, which carries the separating-blade, may be adj ustably fitted to the lever I, or the portion 13 of the plunger, which acts on the said projection, may be adjustable in posi tion longitudinally, as shown, so as to vary, as required, the time at which the separatorblade shall come into action, according to the length of the tacks to be driven.

In the point or end of the nozzle E of the tacker is a transverse groove or passage c in which is fitted a pair of spring-jaws C Fig. 10, between which jaws the shank of each tack admitted to the passage 0 is forced by the driver in its descent. In the contiguous faces of the spring-jaws a small hole or passage d is formed, by which the tack when being driven is guided into the work in a perfectly straight direction or at right angles to the surface of the work. To insure the point of the tack entering this small hole or passage (P, the spring-jaws have formed in them above the said hole or passage a conical recess 0', the large part of which corresponds in diameter to the diameter of the passage 0, in which the driver A works, and forms a continuation of said hole or passage, and the smaller part or apex of the conical recess terminates in the small hole or passage (1 The length of this conical recess from the largest part or base to the apex should not exceed, say, an eighth of an inch, so as to admit of tacks of the smallest sizesay threesixteenths of an inch longbeing acted on by the driver proper before the jaws commence to open. The point of the tack enters this conical recess, and when the end of the driver A descends onto the head of the tack the point of the tack is directed by the said conical recess into the small hole or passage and is guided thereby in a straight direction while being driven into the work. The point of the tack enters the work before the head of the tack is pressed by the driver against the sides of the conical recess, after which by the further descent of the driver the head of the tack by pressing against the conical recess forces the spring-jaws apart, so as to admit of the head of the tack passing between the jaws. The end of the driver which acts on the heads of the tacks is tapered on the sides at right angles to the shoulder 17 as shown at 0 so as to readily free itself from between the jaws after driving the tack.

\Vhen the tacker is intended for welting, or work in which the tacks are not required to be driven into the work up to their heads, the end of the nozzle E, in which the springjaws work, is made to extend beyond the point 7 which the end of the driver reaches when in its lowest position to a distance equal to the length of the portion of the tack to be left projecting above the surface of the work, as shown, for instance, in Fig. 9.

To prevent the screws (1, by which the spring-jaws are connected to the body of the tacker, from becoming loose by the vibrations of the parts when the tacker is in use, the heads of the screws are each provided with a notch to receive a key 6', driven through a hole in a lug formed on the part of the springjaw through which the screw (Z passes into the body of the tacker.

The chute ll, carried by the tacker, is charged with tacks from a chamber K, preferably of a conical shape, as shown in Fig. 2, arranged to rotate on a horizontal axis. One end K of this chamber is closed, while the opposite end K (the smallest end in the case of a conical chamber) is open and provided with an inwardly-projecting llange or rim 7s, rotating in contact with a stationary hopper L, into which the tacks are fed and from which they pass into the rotary chamber K. The interior circumference of this rotary chamber has longitudinal flutes orgrooves or is provided, as shown, with one or more longitudinal shelves or lifters 7a, which may be adjusted in position longitudinally according to the quantity of tacks in the chamber. These shelves or lifters as the chamber rotates elevate the tacks and cause them to fall onto a concave double inclined surface ll, carried on the upper end of an inclined chute II, fitted to reciprocate longitudinally within the chamber K. The chutes ll and It are each provided with afnarrowislot 0,1'nto' which en'' ter the shanks of the tacks falling onto the V doubleinclined surface H and down which chute .the tacks slide'until the said chute is filled with tacks, the heads of thetacks resting on the upper edges of the sidesor cheeks of the narrow'slot. The portion of the slot in the chute which is situated inside the totary chamber K and in the hopper L is open given to the chute H by means of tappets,

" teeth, or projections M onthe shaft K which carries the chamber K, or the said projections ortappets may be'formed on' or attached to theinner surface of the closed end of the saidchamber. These projections or tappets as the chamber rotates act on the inner end of the chute H to force the chute outward, the inward movement thereof being obtained by a spring N, attached at one end to the chute and at its other end to a fixed part of the ap paratus,the spring N tending to maintain the inner end of the chute in contact with the said tappets, teeth, or projections,which may, if desired,'be of different heights, so as to vary the reciprocation of the chute. To prevent any tacks from obstructing the passage of the other tacks-down the chute,- I provide, preferably on the hopper L, a deflector or angular piece 0, somewhat like a plowshare, the said deflector being directly over the slot 0 in the chute H to prevent the tacks from crowding on the chute and causing an obstruction. A passage is formed in this deflector, through which a projection g on a plateg fixed to and reciprocatingwith the chute, passes and pushes away any tacks that may tend to obstruct the passage through the chute. Instead of the plow-shaped deflector a plate screwed onto the hopper L and provided with a passage for the projection q to reciprocate in may be employed.- The lower end of the chute H is provided with a removable stop or gate P to prevent the tacks from passing out at the lower end of the said chute, which stop P, by the act of attaching the tacker to' the chute H is moved out of the passage in the said chuteby a projection on the chute H or the underside of the said chute itself depressinga spring-arm t, which carries the stop or gate P. The chute H is provided with hooked projections s, with which pins or projections s on the chute H engage to connect the tacker to the tack-feeder, the chutes H and 1-1 whenthus connected, constituting one continuous chute, down which the tacks can pass into the passage in which the driver proper, A, works. On detaching the tacker from the chute H the stop or gate P automatically closes the passage through the chute H The chamber K may be caused to rotate only whenthe tacker is attached to the chute H and may be set in' motion by the act of attaching the tacker to the chute. A

convenient way to efiect this is illustrated in Figs. 1 andZ, and consists in mounting loosely on the shaft K which carries the chamber K, a pulley S, round whichthe driving-band from the motor passes, and to provide on the said shaft a friction or other clutching device T T the part T being formed on or attached tothe pulley S and the part T being fixed on the shaft K The pulley S, together with the part T of the clutch, is fitted to slide on a feather on the shaft K and can be operated by a forked 1ever U, engaging in a groove to in the boss of the pulley S. The outer end of this lever is weighted and rests upon or against a roller n carried on one end of another lever V,

centered beneath the base of the apparatus,

the other end 12 of the said lever having an inclined surface, on which bears-a roller '10,

clutch into frictional engagement with the part T andso-i'mparting rotation to the chamber K. On detaching the tacker from the chute H the clutching device and levers by which it is operated will automatically return to-the position shown in Fig. 2 and the pulley S on the shaft will continue to rotate' without imparting motion to the chamber K.

Instead of starting the tack-feeding por-' tion ofthe apparatus by the act of attaching the tacker thereto, as hereinbefore described, the chamber K may be constantly rotated, in which case'the pulley S is fixed to the shaft K and the clutch T T and leversare dispensed with. In this case I provide on the lower end of the chute H a lever B, having one end notched, as shown at E Figs. 4 and 5, to engage witha stationary part of the apparatus when the tacker is detached, and so retain the end of the chute H which is acted the end B of the lever B, so as to raise the end R free of the stationary part of the apparatus and admit of the tappets acting on the chute H to impart to it the vibratory motions, as hereinbefore described.

Although I have describeda means for setting the tack-feeding device in motion by the' act of attaching the tacker thereto, I do not restrict myself to the arrangementdescribed,

When

except in the'speciiic claim for the combination, neither do I restrict myself to the employment of means for starting the tack-feeding device by the act of attaching the tacker thereto nor to the arrangement described for opening and closing the passage through the chute II? by the act of attaching and detaching the tacker.

I claim 1. In apparatus for feeding tacks, the combination of a rotary chamber to contain the tacks to be fed into the driver or tacker and means for rotating the said chamber; one or more longitudinally-adjustable ribs or lifters projecting from the interior of the rotary chamber, by which ribs or lifters the tacks are elevated when the chamber rotates, a piece in the interior of the chamber having a double inclined surface or surfaces inclining toward each other, onto which the tacks fall from the ribs or lifters; a chute to which the double inclined piece is attached, the said chute having in the top a narrow slot or opening into which the shanks of the tacks enter and down which they pass, the said tacks being supported by their heads on the top edges of the sides of the slot or opening; and means for imparting to the chute a jogging or reciprocating motion as the chamber rotates so as to cause the tacks to pass down the chute, substantially ashereinbefore described.

2. In a tack-feeding apparatus, the combination of a fixed frame and a rotary chamber to contain the tacks to be fed into the tack-driver, with a chute which is mounted in longitudinal guides in the frame and into which the tacks are caused to enter by the rotation of the chamber; and a series of tappets in the interior of the chamber engaging with the chutein combination with a spring, for imparting a longitudinal reciprocating motion to the chute in its guides, substantially as described.

3. In a tack-feeding apparatus, the combination of a rotary'chamber to contain the tacks to be fed into the tack-driver, the said chamber having one end open and being adapted to rotate on a horizontal, or approximately horizontal axis, with a stationary hopper against which the open end of the chamber rotates, and an inclined reciprocating chute passing through an opening in the said hopper to the interior of the chamber, means for feeding the tacks into the chute by the rotation of the chamber, and means forimpartingalongitudinalreciprocatingmotion to the chute, substantially as described.

4. In a tacking apparatus, the combination with a chamber to contain the tacks to be fed into the tack-driver, the said chamber having one end open and arranged to rotate on a horizontal or approximately horizontal axis, a stationary hopper against which the open end of the said chamber rotates and by which the tacks are supplied to the chamber, an inclined reciprocating chute passing through an opening in the hopper to the interior of the chamber, means for feeding tacks into the chute by the rotation of the chamber, and a projectionon the chute reciprocating through a passage in a plate or deflector formed on or attached to the interior of the hopper, the said projection serving to prevent the tacks from obstructing the passage through the chute, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In apparatus for feeding tacks into a tackdriver or tacker, the combination with a 1011- gitudinally-reciprocating chute down which the tacks pass into the tacker, of a plowshaped deflector having a passage there through, and a projection reciprocating in the said passage in the deflector, for preventing the tacks from obstructing the passage through the chute, substantially as hereinbefore described.

6. In a tack-feeding and tack-driving apparatus, the combination of a rotary chamber to contain the tacks to be fed into the driver or tacker, an inclined reciprocating chute composed of two parts lineally connected together at their abutting ends to form a continuous chute for the passage of tacks from the rotary chamber to the tack -driver or tacker, a gate or stop at the lower end of the upper portion of the said chute to prevent the passage of the tacks therethrough when the two parts of the chute are separated, the said gate or stop being displaced or removed when connecting together the two portions of the chute and replaced when the said portions of the chute are detached, and a lever pivoted to the chute engaging with a projection to prevent the chute from reciprocating when the two portions of the chute are separated, the said lever being disengaged from the projection by the act of connecting the two parts of the chute so as to permit of the reciprocating movement of the chute, substantially as hereinbefore described.

7. In a tack-drivin g apparatus or tacker the combination of an inclined chute down which the tacks pass into position to be acted on by the driver proper, a separati ng-blade for separating the lowermost tack from the rest of the tacks in the chute, the said separatingblade being operated by the plunger which carries the driver proper, and means for varying the time in the movement of the plunger at which the separating-blade shall be operated, substantially as hereinbefore described.

8. In a tack-driving apparatus or tacker, the combination of a supply chamber or chute from which tacks pass into position to be operated on by the driver proper, a separatingbla-de operated so as to admit one tack at a time into the passage in which the driver proper works, arecessed or flattened part on the driver proper to admit of the head of the lowermost tack in the chute to project into the passage in which the driver proper works when the lower end of the said driver is below the separating-blade, a shoulder on the lower end of the driver proper below the said flattened or recessed portion, which shoulder driver proper, provided with a shoulder on the lower end which, as the driver rises, comes into contact with the lower side of the head of the tack and causes the shank to enter point downward the passage in which the driver proper works, the operating end of the said driver proper being tapered at the sides at right angles to the said shoulder so as to be easily freed from between the said springjaws after driving a tack, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT E. STIRCKLER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. MILLS, Enwn. GEO. DAVIES. 

